Pitfalls within the pleasure periphery

im working on a communications presentation at the moment on how biasly and slanted the media reported upon the whole Schapelle Corby saga and so i found this article in 'the australian', "Pitfalls within the pleasure periphery" by Brian King, that really interested me. it concerns the recent reports of westerners finding themselves in trouble in asian countries, in particular indonesia, and how these recent events have shattered perceptions australians had of places like bali as an ideal holiday destination, a rosey portrayal that ignores the realities of the area.

"these pleasure peripheries, as they have been called, offer beaches, sunshine, entertainment, friendly locals and curious cultural habits. but behind the tourist brouchure facades lie third world conditions: inferior health care, sanitation, eductaion, infrastruture and living standards. incomes are miniscule compared with those back home, but we have generally been content to suspend our disblief about the extent of disparity. we enjoy the way the powerful aussie dollar has great purchasing power; relative wealth and pleasure appear to go hand in hand."

its something that ive always thought about to myself. like, how i use to come across people who didnt actually know bali was part of indonesia.... ofcourse it wouldnt be, not this australian friendly island?!?! its not that i dont think the balinese help foster these views, but what else can they do really. they are trying to earn a living.

i am in full agreeance with the concluding paragraph of the article, however i think obnoxious tourist will always exist....

"hopefully the more hysterical responses to indonesia from australians over the corby affair do not signal a return to stereotyped representations of our neightbours. we need to keep travelling to places such as bali but we must change our mindset, recognising that a favourable exchange rate does not entitle us to monopolise paradise and that we must not ignore the context- historical, geographical and political- of the places we travel and the people who live there."